All players think their characters are better than any characters ever created by anyone in the history of all things made and unmade. They believe this because the characters they create are usually a facsimile of some part of themselves, whether it’s a full blown imitation, but in the form of a Trandoshan, or in the form of some far-flung idea that they’ve used a part of themselves to bring into existence.
And in part – that’s how it should be. Their heroes are the heroes of their story. This doesn’t mean they don’t experience forms of failure – even Han Solo steps on wayward sticks when trying to make a Stealth check – but it’s good to remember that even his mistakes always came with the sort of bravado we came to expect of his character. A level 1 Ranger is usually still more talented, special, and awesome then 90% of the mystical creatures she meets. It’s good to remember that.
This brings me to the point of the this article – cheaply narrated failures cheapen the heroes of your story. What do I mean by “cheaply narrated”?
“You trip and fall over your cloak.”
“Your shot misses.”
“You don’t remember.”
“You miss the punch.”
Every GM knows this is true, and if you GM like this, it’s also why you watch a part of them die when they fail a check, especially if the failure is harshly dealt by their should-be benevolent GM.
When thinking of a way to narrate a failure for any character in any system, there are always three things I try to take into account: Setting, Adversaries, Character.
Setting
Failures based on setting usually go hand in hand with Athletic, Survival, Acrobatics, Perception, or other physical checks. Setting-based narrative helps add atmosphere to your world, even on a failed check.
Let’s say your Ranger is making a Stealth check to sneak up on an encampment of goblins at night and fails in such a way that would make anyone utter a small expletive. What about the setting could turn a failed check into something that builds that narrative?
- The clouds part and the moon shines down, revealing the Ranger’s position, or if you’re a forgiving GM, stops the Ranger from attempting the action.
- The fire in the encasement suddenly flares high and all your PC’s can hear the goblins roar in primal excitement. The sentries could see the Ranger in the illumination or they could escape back to the party undetected.
- The wind changes, carrying the voices of your party to the sentries, who react noticeably – battle-axes raised.
Adversaries
Most PC’s are like their fictional counterparts in the sense that they are almost always defined by the villains they face. That should be no different here, especially in combat whether it’s verbal spat between two forked tongue politicos or amidst a battle between two warriors. Also, think about the level of villain you’re facing – is it the BBG for this leg of the campaign or just a bunch of the cronies. That should be your gauge if you’re going to use them as the basis for your narration of the failure.
If two warriors are going at it – narrate the fight scene! Failures are blocks after heartily traded blows, or blaster fire just missing the BBEG as he smirkingly ducks out of the way. Facing an Inquisitor and his group of stormtroopers? YouR blaster fire didn’t just miss, but “was intercepted by the flashing red blade of the inquisitor.” Your Ranger’s arrow doesn’t just “miss,” it was shot from the sky in an impressive display by the BBEG.
Character
Ultimately, how a character fails is directly related to how the character is played. If a character is quiet and known for their sneaking ability, it seems out of character to narrate a Stealth check as “they slip on their cloak.” Find a way to reward your players for the thought they put into their characters, by turning failure into character defining moments. I’m not saying silly or funny things can never happen – your Wookiee’s temper may get him in trouble, or your giant paladin may miss a swing with his great axe and in the process cut down the town water tower.
Just make it fit the spirit of the game you are playing and everything else will turn out fine.
